HOUSEHOLD TIPS NOT FOUND IN WOMAN'S WEEKLY

[Stanley]

I think I saw some once. Was it in a vulcanised rubber flask? I was told that it would eventually dissolve a glass bottle.
That's reminded me of another tip... Never allow water and oil in a ferrous container at the same time (Like a metal fuel filter enclosure) . If you do, corrosion cells are set up at the boundary between the two and they will quickly produce pin-holes in the wall of the container. I remember finding this once on an old tractor and got interested in the subject of corrosion cells. Now there's a fascinating subject!

[Tizer]

Yes, HF, hydrofluoric acid dissolves glass. It's stored in polyethylene, lead or platinum containers. It reacts with many materials, so requires extra care over what substances it comes into contact with. It's also more hydrophobic than other mineral acids and therefore passes more easily through the skin into the bloodstream where it's highly toxic. Burning fluorine-containing compounds such as Teflon (PTFE) is dangerous because it releases HF. HF reacts with silica to form a toxic gas, silicon tetrafluoride - this has caused hazards when people have tried to soak up an HF spill with silica materials such as sand, vermiculite or cat litter. HF burns to as little as 3% of body area can cause death. I think readers of this will get the message - don't mess with hydrogen fluoride!

And if anyone really wants to know more, read this 53-page PDF guide to HF safety: http://web.utk.edu/~ehss/training/has.pdf

[Stanley]

"Can be found in household products: rust removers, automotive detailing products, stain removers."

That's a scary document Tiz! I always knew it was dangerous but the thought of something that can react with sand and release toxic fumes...... No thank you!

[Stanley]

Refuse to buy hand and face cleaning products that contain micro granules of plastic to aid the scouring action of the product. If the list of ingredients includes nylon or any word beginning with 'poly' it is damaging the environment. We always used to have a container of dry fine sawdust next to the tin of Swarfega by the sink in the engine house. Just as effective and biodegradable.

[Stanley]

When you see dire warnings about opening the back of a household appliance which has gone wrong but it has a very obvious panel held by a single screw, you are fairly safe ignoring the warning. This happened to me yesterday when the transmitter for my energy monitor failed. Despite the warning I took the panel off, found two batteries not mentioned in any of the instructions, replaced them and cured the problem. So, why on earth was there no mention of this? I think it's a cunning wheeze to discourage the faint-hearted or mechanically challenged user and result in the sale of a new unit. So, weigh up what you have to lose, do your research and go ahead!

[Tripps]

I got one of those things free of charge from British Gas, a few years ago, and found it recently hiding in the back of the shed. I connected it up, and noted the readings for a while. Interesting to see what power each device used.

The novelty soon wore off though - yes of course your kettle will use a lot more than your radio, and something that's switched off uses no power at all. I read the meter on the last day of each month, and compare the units used it to last month's, and the same month in each of the last few years. (late onset OCD)

The device might come in handy for research if the reading unexpextedly rose - but it hasn't yet. Back to the shed I think -

[Stanley]

I like it because it reminds me where my leccy is going. I'm on 2KW at the moment because the washing machine is on a hot wash.....

[Stanley]

If your neighbour's car is dropping oil outside your back gate and it's treading into the house the first Immediate Action is to have a word with him. Then get some common washing soda and sprinkle it on the spill, when it rains this will break down the oil.... (You've guessed it! Ian's van is dropping oil and Jack is treading it into the house....)

[Stanley]

Would you believe that when I'd treated the oil spill the street sweeper came down the back street and swept most of the soda away!

[Cathy]

We have recently had parking restrictions placed in my small street because the bin-men couldn't get their truck close enough to the bins to empty them as there were too many parked cars. People would park their own cars in front of their own bins without thinking and then wonder why the bin-men had left a mess. (I call them Ferals - they leave their bins out for days after collection too)

[Stanley]

You wonder many a time just what is going on in some people's heads. I think they're wired up differently than most of us!

[Stanley]

I'm happy to report that Ian has added more detergent to the oil spill and it looks as though he has sent his van to hospital to cure the leak. Good Lad!
A thin scattering of washing soda on stone paths cleans them and kills the lichen that can make them so slippery..... My stone flags in the front garden have been treated....

[Stanley]

I see that the South has thunderstorms forecast. In the days before fridges were common this was bad news as milk would 'go off' in a couple of hours in thundery weather. In summer the milk chap delivered twice a day because of this. Milk is much cleaner these days and is pasteurised, we keep in a fridge at >3C and it can easily last seven days. I can't remember when I last had milk go sour. If you are ever in a situation where you haven't a fridge, do what grandmother used to do.... cover the container with a wet cloth, the evaporation will help keep it as cool as possible....

[Stanley]

Be careful when you are feeding birds so that you don't unwittingly feed the rats. There are more of them within twenty feet of you than you think!

[Cathy]

I've always been a bit suss about feeding the local birds, the most I do is put water out for them. I watch them drink and have a good splash every day in my back garden, but I think its wise to remember that there is a Food Chain out there.
I hate to see cats catching birds but cats and birds catch mice, birds catch insects etc.

[Stanley]

That's a good point Cathy, I've often seen cats lurking near bird feeders.... I discovered another household tip this morning when I cleaned my stove exterior, the first time I have been able to attack the spills because you can't do it when it's hot and it hasn't gone out since September.

[Stanley]

The classic treatment for the outside of a cast iron stove is 'Zebrite' which is a graphite based polish that stays black when the heat burns it on.



You will not be surprised to learn that I have a supply in my treasure chests.....

[Tizer]

I've always been a bit suss about feeding the local birds, the most I do is put water out for them. I watch them drink and have a good splash every day in my back garden, but I think its wise to remember that there is a Food Chain out there.

I'm with you 100% on that Cathy. We have plenty of berry-bearing and insect-attracting plants in the garden and only need to provide a water bowl. Many years ago we were putting out peanut feeders but ended up with only sparrows and no other birds and sometimes rats were attracted by the spilt food. A problem here in Britain is that greenfinches are dying out because they pick up a disease carried by pigeons. There are lots of pigeons where we live because of people feeding hens and throwing out bread, so we now don't see any greenfinches.

[Cathy]

Nice to see you back Tize

[Tizer]

Thanks Cath. We needed to get away for a break because our (usually) quiet country lane currently has all the main road traffic diverted down it and it's chaotic! Also the UK and world news was getting us down. Sometimes you feel you need to get away and reboot your system!

[Stanley]

That's the reason I go in the shed. Logic and the normal rules still apply in there.....

[Stanley]

Never discard anything with your address on in a public litter bin! You may find yourself accused of fly-tipping if the rubbish gets mixed with genuine fly material!

[Cathy]

I had to read that twice Stanley before I realised what you meant

[Stanley]

I get that syndrome quite often Cathy. Usually inside my own head! Classic case is the young lad who asked his mother why men were put in prison for laughing. It turned out he had misread 'manslaughter'. I mis-pronounced 'misled' for years because I had never heard anyone voice it.
So today's tip, never assume that you are right!

[Tizer]

My mum was once looking at the job ads in the Evening Telegraph and got flummoxed by seeing a job she'd never heard of before - a `potholer'. Now you'll probably say that's obvious, it's someone who goes down into caves. But listed as a job ad? It threw both of us for a while! We pronounced it as `poth oller' until the penny dropped. (She didn't apply!)

I got well into my 20s before I realised that a person described as reactionary was not, as I thought, one who made a lot of trouble and unrest but just the opposite. Reaction to me, with a chemistry interest, meant sparks, heat, fire so I thought a reactionary was like a revolutionary. wrong.